This invention relates to a reclosable pouch. The pouch is preferably made in a vertical form/fill/seal process.
Vertical form/fill/seal (VFFS) packaging systems have proven to be very useful in packaging a wide variety of food and non-food pumpable and/or flowable products. An example of such systems is the Onpack(trademark) flowable food packaging system marketed by Cryovac/Sealed Air Corporation. The VFFS process is known to those of skill in the art, and described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,589,247 (Tsuruta et al), U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,818 (Shimoyama et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,411 (Su), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,010 (Vogan), all incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In such a process, lay-flat thermoplastic film is advanced over a forming device to form a tube, a longitudinal (vertical) fin or lap seal is made, and a bottom end seal is made by transversely sealing across the tube with heated seal bars. A flowable product is introduced through a central, vertical fill tube to the formed tubular film. The pouch is then completed by sealing the upper end of the tubular segment, and severing the pouch from the tubular film above it. The process can be a two-stage process where the creation of a transverse heat seal occurs at one stage in the process, and then, downstream of the first stage, a separate pair of cooling/clamping means contact the just-formed transverse heat seal to cool and thus strengthen the seal. In some VFFS processes, an upper transverse seal of a first pouch, and the lower transverse seal of a following pouch, are made, and the pouches cut and thereby separated between two portions of the transverse seals, without the need for a separate step to clamp, cool, and cut the seals. A commercial example of an apparatus embodying this more simplified process is the Onpack(trademark) 2050A VFFS packaging machine marketed by Cryovac/Sealed Air Corporation.
A specific type of VFFS pouch is the gusseted pouch, which often functions as a box-type stand-up pouch or bag. Packaging machines, such as those supplied by Rovema, Bosch, and UVA-Butler, are commercially available. These machines sometimes include, or can be modified to include, devices that produce an edge seal, or plurality of edge seals, to provide rigidity to the final pouch. This feature allows the pouch to function more effectively as a box-type stand-up pouch. This feature also improves the aesthetics of the final pouch. One configuration allows for a final pouch having a flat bottom and a gable top portion. Some commercially available gusseted pouches have a zipper installed at the top portion of the pouch.
xe2x80x9cZipperxe2x80x9d herein refers to a plastic reclosable fastener conventionally used as a closure device for a package. These zippers have male and female fastener elements in the form of reclosable interlocking rib and groove elements that permit the package to be opened, closed, and reopened, i.e. provide reclosability. Two popular types of zippers are the xe2x80x9cpinchxe2x80x9d zipper, in which the male and female components are pressed together manually to close the zipper, and the xe2x80x9cslidexe2x80x9d zipper, in which a typically semi-rigid slider is installed on the zipper, and is run transversely along the length of the zipper to close the zipper. Examples of the pinch zipper are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,059,036 (Richison et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,272 (Richison et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,272 (Richison et al.) all incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. An example of the slide zipper is U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,143 (Herrington), incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. A typical zipper is one which has a groove or other indentation installed on the surface of a first member, and a rib or other protrusion on the surface of a second member, which rib or other protrusion can interlock into the groove or other indentation when the first and second members are pressed together. Alternatively, a first member having a plurality of grooves or other indentations installed on the surface thereof, and a second member having a plurality of ribs or other protrusions, can interlock when the first and second members are pressed together. In this alternative case, there may be no substantial difference in appearance between the two members, as the ribs may simply be the intervals between grooves on a strip which may lock into another of the same kind. More generally, some form of male/female interengagement is used to join two surfaces together. The interlocking members will typically be manufactured such that a flange is present around the border of the members. This flange essentially carries the interlocking portions of the overall zipper, and facilitates attachment by heat sealing, gluing, or other means of adhesion to the package of which the zipper forms the closure feature. Zippers are commercially available that are coated with a coating to enhance or inhibit adhesion of the zipper to selected materials with which the zipper will be associated. Those skilled in the art will be acquainted with reclosable plastic zipper technology.
The inventors have found that a discrete panel, preferably a semirigid panel, can be applied in a lay-flat condition to a lay-flat film prior to or simultaneously with the lay-flat film being formed and sealed into a pouch on a VFFS unit. The application of the panel can be done where the film is manufactured, or alternatively where the film is converted into tubing at a food processor location. A reclosable zipper is installed on the panel after the lay-flat film is formed into a tube and filled, thus providing a reclosable feature in a pour spout in the finished gusseted pouch. A pouch in the form of a pre-formed bag, with a panel as disclosed herein affixed thereto, can be supplied to the processor for filling, sealing, and application of the reclosable zipper. Alternatively, a pouch in the form of a pre-formed bag, with a panel and zipper as disclosed herein affixed thereto, can be supplied to the food or other processor for filling and sealing.
The panel serves at least four functions.
First, it adds stiffness or rigidity when using the pour spout to dispense product from the pouch. This feature enhances the effectiveness of the spout.
Second, it blocks internal seals as needed during the sealing process to insure that an applied zipper will properly function as a reclosable feature.
Third, the panel acts as a carrier for a peelable seal. In this embodiment, one surface of the panel can itself function as a peelable seal. Alternatively, a separate component can be adhered or affixed to one surface of the panel, which component functions as a peelable seal. The peelable seal can optionally function as a tamper evident seal. The peelable seal can be hermetic, or for some applications, such as dog food bags, can include a path within the seal for venting of gases from the interior of the bag.
Fourth, the panel carries or supports the reclosable zipper.
In a first aspect, a reclosable pouch comprises a base portion; a front wall, two side walls, and a back wall, the walls in communication with the base portion; a top portion, the top portion in communication with the walls; a discrete panel adhered to an interior of at least one of the walls in the top portion; and a reclosable zipper.
In a second aspect, an article comprises a lay-flat film having a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge; and a plurality of lay-flat discrete panels attached to the lay-flat film at regular spaced intervals along the length of the film, each panel spaced the same distance from the first lateral edge of the lay-flat film, each panel spaced the same distance from adjacent panels, and each panel adapted to accommodate a reclosable zipper.
In a third aspect, a method for making a reclosable pouch with a reclosable zipper comprises providing a lay-flat film having a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge; attaching a plurality of lay-flat discrete panels to the lay-flat film at regular spaced intervals along the length of the film, each panel spaced the same distance from the first lateral edge of the lay-flat film, each panel spaced the same distance from adjacent panels, and each panel adapted to accommodate a reclosable zipper; forming the film into a tube; sealing the film with a longitudinal seal; forming a bottom seal; filling the tube with a product; and sealing the tube to form a pouch wherein the pouch includes a a discrete panel and a reclosable zipper.
In a fourth aspect, an apparatus for making a pouch comprises means for providing a lay-flat film having a first lateral edge and second lateral edge; means for attaching a plurality of lay-flat discrete panels to the lay-flat film at regular spaced intervals along the length of the film, wherein each panel is spaced the same distance from the first lateral edge of the lay-flat film, each panel is spaced the same distance from adjacent panels, and each panel is adapted to accommodate a reclosable zipper; means for forming the lay-flat film into a tube; means for longitudinally sealing the tube; means for forming a bottom seal on the tube; means for filling the tube with a product; means for sealing a top portion of the tube to form a pouch wherein the pouch includes a discrete panel, and a reclosable zipper.
In a fifth aspect, a method for making a reclosable pouch with a reclosable zipper comprises providing a lay-flat film having a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge; attaching a plurality of lay-flat discrete panels to the lay-flat film at regular spaced intervals along the length of the film, each panel spaced the same distance from the first lateral edge of the lay-flat film, each panel spaced the same distance from adjacent panels, and each panel adapted to accommodate a reclosable zipper; forming the film into a tube; sealing the film with a longitudinal seal; and forming a bottom seal.
In a sixth aspect, a method for making a reclosable pouch with a reclosable zipper comprises providing a lay-flat film having a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge; attaching a plurality of lay-flat discrete panels to the lay-flat film at regular spaced intervals along the length of the film, each panel spaced the same distance from the first lateral edge of the lay-flat film, each panel spaced the same distance from adjacent panels, and each panel adapted to accommodate a reclosable zipper; forming the film into a tube; sealing the film with a longitudinal seal; and installing the reclosable zipper on one end of the tube.